"The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone
In the ranks of death you will find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" said the warrior bard,
"Tho' all the world betrays thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"
-- Verse from the Minstrel Boy

Friday, November 05, 2010

Ears, Fingers and Hands: Rapid Progress in Replacement Body Parts

Face transplants are only the start. The Pentagon's Afirm Program, a collaborative effort between 14 institutions, is already in clinical trials on a new approach to transplanted hands. By eliminating the need for immunosuppressant drugs, surgeons minimize the risk of long-term side effects.

And lifelike prosthetics, including ears, noses and eyes, are now customized to the patient, thanks to 3-D modeling, skin-tone matching and titanium implants that allow the prosthetics to adhere to the body using magnets